


when the world has fallen (and we stand alone)

by WinterSabbath



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, BAMF Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes Has PTSD, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, M/M, Protective Steve Rogers, Psychological Trauma, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-25
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:13:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23835940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WinterSabbath/pseuds/WinterSabbath
Summary: In a dystopic world, Hydra rules everything. James Barnes, one of Hydra’s soldiers, goes rogue. While he’s on the run to save his life, he stumbles upon a rebel movement led by a man who calls himself the Captain.--- ---“What do you feel about Hydra, James? Do you hate them?”“I don’t know,” he said honestly.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 10
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

**This is Freedom.**

**This is Power.**

**This is Unity.**

**Hail Hydra! Immortal Hydra!**

\---

**High Chancellor Wolfgang von Strucker addresses the nation**

_America, we have come far! You stand here today, alive, because of Hydra’s service. Humanity cannot be trusted with their own freedom. If they are given the opportunity to decide for themselves, they will destroy the world. Hydra has saved you from that destruction, and soon we will save the rest of the world._

_Hydra has led all of you to the change you have always begged for. We have eradicated all deceit and destitution. This is what you have dreamed of! This is the society you have cried and pleaded for. A society founded on progress and unity. The perfect society! Indestructible and inextirpable!_

_But our mission is not over yet. There are other nations that have yet to see the truth and do not wish to open their eyes to reality. They do not understand that Hydra is the only way they can prosper. They cannot see past their own egocentricity, cannot see that they are flawed and destructive. They deserve our pity, and this is why we fight them. We will fight them for their sake, so they can understand that humanity’s survival lies in acknowledging their need for guidance and subjugation._

_We will fight them, and we will win. They will fight us, and they will lose. We cannot be destroyed. Cut off one head, two more shall take its place! The world shall soon serve us._

_This is Freedom._

_This is Power._

_This is Unity._

_Hail Hydra! Immortal Hydra!_

\--- --- ---

James had been on the run for forty-two days.

The hidden area in the abandoned subway he found was small, but he’d been living in it for over a month, so he was used to it. The fire he built managed to keep him warm. He went out into the forest, occasionally, to collect food and water. He had been living off fruits and almost nothing else. Going into the city was not an option. Hydra had eyes _everywhere_.

Surprisingly, he wasn’t dead yet, nor was he erased from existence. Hydra was known for erasing people. They did not kill. At least, not in a way that anyone could be mourned. They _erased_. One moment, someone was there, the next, they never existed in the first place. Any trace of their existence—their house, their car, their medical records—were deleted. No one knew what exactly happened to those people, but they never came back.

Hydra was good.

Which is why James didn’t know why he was still alive. He didn’t know why he hadn’t been captured. Most would say it was luck, but he still felt like he was being watched anyway, despite the fact that he had done everything he could to make sure they couldn’t find him.

He had done everything, including cutting off his arm.

Every Peacekeeper was given an implant in their left arm. It was meant to be a tracking device to prevent anyone from turning from Hydra, but James was certain it could do so much more than that. The implant was impossible to extract, so he had to go with more barbaric methods.

By now, his shoulder was probably infected. All that he used to clean it was water from a river stream. That definitely wasn’t ideal, but it wasn’t as though he had any _choice_. Even bathrooms were off-limits because there were cameras in every establishment. Even the toilets. _Especially_ the toilets.

Then again, if Hydra didn’t get to him first, the infection probably will.

James crumpled the shirt on the floor more in an effort to fluff it up a bit. Sleeping on the cold hard ground was not easy, but he wasn’t trained to have it _easy_ , anyway.

Just as he laid down on his makeshift bed, the rain started to pour. His bed was the only area that wasn’t affected, but everywhere else had cracks and holes where water seeped through.

The fire before him extinguished, losing its battle with the downpour. James sighed and sat back up. He reached over to the bucket in the corner and positioned it under one of the leaks. The water was for him to drink for the next few days.

\--- --- ---

Every night, James could hear the marching sound of the other Peacekeepers. They were not nearby, no, but they were plenty. The thumps of their feet on the ground told James it was 20:00, and they were doing their patrol.

Occasionally, there would be a piercing scream. Although those moments were few and far between, only occurring when one of the Peacekeepers were not careful. The scream came from someone who was about to be erased, or perhaps someone who did not follow the curfew time. Either way, no one would ever acknowledge the scream. Whoever it was would cease to exist the next day. It didn’t matter.

At precisely 21:00, the marching would stop. The Peacekeepers would have returned to their stations by then, and then the night would continue without any interruption. It was only then that James could finally fall asleep.

Then the next day, at 6:30, a gunshot would ring out. The chanting would start.

For a minute, everyone would be standing in front of the screens in their rooms, chanting, _This is Freedom. This is Power. This is Unity. Hail Hydra! Immortal Hydra!_

These words were engraved into everyone’s brain before they could even walk. As the One-Minute Praise proceeded, James sometimes found himself mumbling the words. “Hail Hydra,” he would say, and he could remember the feel of the gun in his hands, aimed towards the sky, aligned with a thousand other guns.

The One-Minute Praise brought him into a trance, sometimes, and then he would have to scrape his left shoulder against the wall just so that the pain would snap him out of it. He had been through so much. He could not afford to look back.

But sometimes, no matter how hard he tried, it was as though reflex took over, and he found himself raising his fist in the air.

“This is Freedom. This is Power. This is Unity. Hail Hydra. Immortal Hydra.”

Then the Minute would end, and he would carry on with his miserable day.

\--- --- ---

James bent down to pick up the fallen berry, the basket by his foot already filled with other fruits. He had enough food that could last him another week, so he was planning to head back to his place.

As he stooped over the fruit, his enhanced hearing picked up a threat.

Footsteps.

There was a rustling of leaves, shoes hitting the grass, and two male voices he could not identify. The berry forgotten, James stood straight and alert, hand going to his waist before he realized he was weaponless. Weapons would be useless anyway.

This was it. HYDRA had found him. He was going to be erased.

“Oh, shit,” said a voice behind James.

He frowned. That was not HYDRA. It was illegal to use such crass words. Cursing had been banned long ago. It was rude and blasphemous. Cursing was a tool that could be used against them. They banned everything that could be used against them.

Unsure, James turned to the sound and came face to face with two men in _colored_ clothes. He blinked.

“Cap’s going to kill us,” said the man in red. He had unusual facial hair, and he was wearing sunglasses. Red-man glanced at his companion, Blue-man, and then looked back at James. “Okay, bud, can you pretend you never—”

“He’s a Peacekeeper,” Blue-man said, his hand immediately going to his waist. He drew out a small gun. It was a design James had never seen before.. “Dammit, I _told_ you this was a bad idea.”

James glanced down at the emblem on his chest. It was a symbol that signified one was a Peacekeeper. The only reason he still wore it was because he didn’t have any other clothes with him. The only clothing Peacekeepers ever had were their uniforms. Anything else was unnecessary.

“Shut up, Hawkeye,” Red-man chided, tapping his glasses. “JARVIS already called back-up.”

Back-up? For what?

James looked between the two of them and took a step back. The movement, apparently, looked hostile, because Red-man drew out a weapon as well, only this time it wrapped around his palm and faced him with a threatening glow.

“I really don’t want any trouble, so don’t move.” Red-man shifted his stance, looking prepared for a fight. James did not want to fight. That was the entire reason he left HYDRA.

“I’m not a Peacekeeper,” he managed to say, his throat dry. “I promise.”

“Yeah... the thing on your shirt’s not exactly convincing,” Blue-man said, motioning at James’ chest. “What’s a Peacekeeper doing out of the city anyway? Are you hunting animals now?”

“No! No, I’m not, I swear, I’m not,” James told them, voice cracking as his hand came up in a one-armed surrender. His shoulder was beginning to hurt again, but he gritted his teeth and pretended it wasn’t there. He added, “I’m not a Peacekeeper. Not–not anymore.”

Red-man’s arm lowered a bit, almost as though he believed James. Blue-man didn’t look as trusting though, his expression remained threatening. Red-man’s mouth opened to address James, but then he quickly turned his attention to something behind James’ shoulder, and then yelled, “Widow, wait!”

Within the next second, a tranquilizer lodged itself in the back of James’ neck. He barely had time to register it before he was collapsing on the floor, head thumping to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have managed to get myself sucked into Stucky. I'm a shipper now!
> 
> What do you guys think of the fic so far?


	2. Chapter 2

When James came to, he was in an empty room.

The first thing he noticed was that his left shoulder was no longer as painful as it used to be, the pain had been reduced to a dull, throbbing ache that was hardly there. He pulled himself into an upright position, leaning his back against the wall as he looked around. His right hand was chained to the wall, but the chain was so long, it hardly restricted any movement. It was quiet, all he could hear was the sound of his own breathing.

There was a metal door in front of him, and a blinking red camera was hovering in the corner, as though it was laser focused on all his movements.

As though to prove it actually was, the door rattled and slid open. Two people stepped inside; the Red-man he ran into yesterday and a lady he had never seen before.

James quickly stood, pressing himself against the corner. He was ready to attack and fight them if it came to that. But first, he would see what they wanted from him. He wanted to at least figure out who they were It didn’t seem like they worked for the High Chancellor. But if not him... then who?

The Red-man was now in a black suit. The lady was in what closely resembled stealth uniforms.

Red-man cocked his head to the side, gazing at Bucky intently through his glasses, then clapped his hands. “Alright. Shoulder’s fine. We managed to stop the infection. It’s going to look like _shit_ , but it hurts less now, doesn’t it?”

“I don’t understand,” James said. He did, sort of. His shoulder was feeling better, but he didn’t understand why or how.

“Ah, ah,” Red-man lifted a finger, “We do the questioning, then you do the answering.”

The lady folded her arms, unimpressed. “I do the questioning, he does the answering, and Cap only allowed you to go in to check on the shoulder.”

“I am wounded, truly,” Red-man said. James frowned, looking at the floor. He didn’t understand what was happening.

“James Buchanan Barnes,” the lady said flatly. James startled, glancing back up. He parted his mouth in shock, and she continued without any hesitation. “Former Peacekeeper. Hydra is searching for you, but, as usual, the public has no idea you’re missing. You’ve gone rogue.” She paused, looking at him expectantly.

“I—” James swallowed, “I ran.”

“And decided to cut off your arm,” Red-man interrupted.

James furrowed his eyebrows, unsure if he should disclose anything. Then again, he had literally nothing to lose anyway. He shifted in his place, moving his shoulder in an attempt to wave it around. “They put trackers in our left arm. I couldn’t risk it.”

The lady’s expression was indifferent, but Red-man looked properly horrified. “So your first instinct was to _cut off your arm?_ ”

Not knowing what to say, James just stared back at them. Weirdly enough, they didn’t say anything back, as though they were invested in something else. The lady tilted her head, tapping her ear as she glanced back at her comrade. “You heard the man.”

Red-man made a face, huffing out a, “God dammit,” before turning around swiftly, the door opening right on time. It was only then that James realized they were probably receiving orders through an earpiece.

“Who do you work for?” James asked once the door closed. With one less person, he felt less threatened.

The lady paused, raising her eyebrows before looking up at the camera. “Are you sure?” she asked, waited for an answer, then looked back at James. “What do you know of rebellion groups?”

“The biggest rebel movement in history was led by Howard Stark, a former associate and traitor to Hydra,” James recited monotonously, he may as well have been reading from a transcript. “He was executed, death by firing squad. His name only lives as a reminder to everyone that they should never cross Hydra.”

The lady nodded. “I go by Black Widow. I work for the Captain. _We_ are the biggest rebel movement in history.”

James raised a skeptical eyebrow. That... that was not possible. Hydra would have rid of them _years_ ago. “Rebel movements no longer exist...”

“I’m not here to prove anything to you. Believe as you will. What I would like to know is how you managed to break free of your programming and found a way to escape from Hydra’s heavily guarded bases.”

“I’ve never been... there’s always been something wrong with me,” James started. He knew that from all the times he had to sit in a reprogram chair, surrounded by scientists who tried to make him more subservient. “I could go against orders, sometimes. Not... not frequently, but I could. More than others.”

She hummed. “And why is that?”

“I don’t know,” he said. He really didn’t. For as long as he could remember... at least, for as long as he’d been a Peacekeeper. Not that he remembered anything about his life before then. Becoming a Peacekeeper meant one would dedicate their entire being to it. Hydra would wipe their brains so that they would not have any attachments to anyone from their past.

“How did you escape?”

“Two of us were sent to extract someone Hydra wanted to erase.” James paused, clenching his fist as the chain rattled a bit. “It was a six year old kid. I don’t know why they wanted him gone.” He really didn’t know much of anything, he realized. “All I knew was they were going to kill the kid, and my mind was still rather clear that night. Something in me was just screaming about how wrong it was.”

Widow nodded. “You killed your colleague that night.”

James clenched his jaw. “He shot the kid.” He didn’t regret it. _He didn’t._

She eyed him carefully, then asked, “What do you feel about Hydra, James? Do you hate them?”

“I don’t know,” he said honestly, “They are all I’ve ever known, but I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong.”

“Understandable.” She sighed, straightening herself, before giving him an acknowledging nod. “I can’t say for sure what we will be doing with you yet. Captain will be making his decision after this talk of ours.”

Curiosity overtaking him, he couldn’t help but blurt out, “Is he a known enemy?”

She laughed sarcastically. “I assure you, Hydra does not know he exists. At least, not as the Captain.”

“How can I be sure you aren’t Hydra?” In hindsight, he probably should’ve asked that during the start of this conversation.

“Judging by the fact that you aren’t dead or being tortured. Well,” she shrugged, “I’ll leave you to decide for yourself.”

\--- --- ---

Food arrived hours later. James had no idea exactly how much time had passed since his talk with Widow, but the door had slid open and Red-man was stepping inside with a tray of food.

“Hey, there. I’m here to check on the shoulder and replace some bandages, but Widow decided I might as well be the one to give you food.”

James reluctantly took the tray, setting it down on the floor. “Has the Captain decided on... my fate?”

Red-man snorted. “Shit, you make him sound like he’s God. Relax. We’re not going to kill you, if that’s what you’re worried about. But no, he’s still talking to a bunch of other people to decide the next plan of action.”

“The lady earlier goes by Widow, then the Captain... Do you have a name too?”

Red-man regarded him a for a moment, momentary confusion and wonder spreading across his futures before he smiled lightly, shaking his head. “Wow. Okay. I honestly thought you’d have put the pieces together by now.”

James frowned. “What pieces?” Was he supposed to recognize this man?

“Nothing,” Red-man waved off. “You can call me Iron.”

Again with the obscure names. Then again, it would be more worrying if they gave out their actual names so willingly. At the same time, James couldn’t help but feel so vulnerable, especially since they seemed to know a lot about him.

Iron went to stand beside him and tapped something on his glasses. “J, what do we think?”

“Think about what?” James asked, perplexed.

“Oh yeah, your name starts with a J too,” Iron said, though he was obviously very distracted as he reached over to touch one of the bandages. It took everything in James not to punch the man away. “Wasn’t talking to you though. I’ve got an AI talking to me.”

“AI? That you can talk to?” James blinked. This operation might be far more advanced than he thought. “How big is this... movement, exactly? Widow said it’s the biggest one, but she didn’t give numbers.”

“Neither am I. Guess all I can say is that there a _lot_ of people who aren’t as brainwashed as you think.” Iron paused, and James could hear the faintest sound of a voice in Iron’s ear. “Ah, shit.”

“You curse a lot.”

Iron wrinkled his nose. “You’d get along with Cap on that front. Whatever.” He stood up. “Cap wants to talk to you, it seems. How fast can you eat your food?”

James glanced back down at the tray he had barely even acknowledged. The food, he realized, was something he had never even seen before. It smelled good, though. He recognized rice, but the thing next to it covered in sauce... he had never seen something that looked so tasty. “What’s this?”

“That, my friend, is called fried chicken.” Iron smoothened out his suit and took a step back. He seemed to notice James’ uneasy look. He grinned. “That’s the kind of stuff America used to eat before Hydra’s shit. We can debate ethical grounds of eating animals next time, but for now, I need you to inhale that because Cap’s a busy man.”

Iron talked a lot, James decided. He talked more than anyone he’d ever met.

James took a bite of the chicken. It was as good as it smelled, if not better. _Plus_ , it was hot. James could not remember a time where he ate something hot _and_ tasty. Remembering Iron’s words to eat fast, he dove into the food like a starved man. After the meal, he gulped down the water and nudged the tray away from himself.

The door opened again, this time he saw Blue-man and Widow step inside. James vaguely remembered Iron calling Blue-man Hawkeye, and he decided to stick to that name instead. For a movement that claimed to be big, the number of people actually doing things seemed pretty small. Or maybe they were just reluctant to introduce James to everyone. That was the smart move.

Hawkeye stepped forward, holding something that resembled a bracelet.

“Shock bracelet, if you try anything,” Iron was saying as he unlocked the cuff on James’ wrist. “Since we can’t cuff you the normal way.”

Hawkeye wrapped it around James’ wrist. He then held up a piece of cloth. “Can’t have you memorizing the place,” he said.

James stood, and then Widow grabbed him by the shoulder as Hawkeye wrapped the cloth around his eyes, completely blinding him. 

Not that he had any other choice, he followed blindly as he was pushed outside the room. He hear the door bang shut then the sound of their footsteps echoed in the next room. It was likely a hall, James presumed.

Another door was opened, and James was hit by cold air. He was then shoved unceremoniously onto a metal chair. As he reached forward, he could feel something that was likely a table.

There was a moment of silence.

Then, a door from a different side of the cold room opened, and there were heavy footsteps hitting the ground, coming closer and closer. Something in front of James screeched against the floor, and the newcomer sat down.

“Good evening, James,” the newcomer said. “I’m the Captain.”

“I figured,” James managed to rasp out, despite how nervous he actually was. He didn’t know why he was even afraid. There was nothing he had left to lose, he reminded himself, and a man without nothing to lose had nothing to be afraid of.

“Most of the things I want to know, you already discussed with Widow,” the Captain said. Did he sound _amused?_ “But I had a few questions, myself.”

James said nothing.

“Do you remember anything from your life before you became a Peacekeeper?”

He shook his head.

“But Hydra’s programming doesn’t work a hundred percent?”

He shook his head again.

The Captain paused. Then, “You were a lot more verbal with Widow. I’d appreciate it if you elaborate your answers.”

 _Appreciate?_ He’d _appreciate_ it? What kind of polite persona was he trying to put on? He could just order James all the same, and yet, he didn’t even sound the least bit controlling. How was he a Captain? A leader?

For lack of better words, James said, “Sorry.”

“It’s alright.” James didn’t understand this man’s sincerity, but he let him continue. “How long have you been serving Hydra?”

“I don’t know,” James admitted. The years blended together. Day in, day out, it was all the same. They reprogrammed him every now and then. He had no concept of time anymore. He only began counting the days _after_ he had ran away.

“Why did you serve them?”

James knew the answer to that, thankfully. “Humanity cannot be trusted with their own freedom,” he recited, “If they are given the opportunity to decide for themselves, they will destroy the world.”

There was a sharp intake of breath, but it came from somewhere behind James. Iron, probably.

The Captain asked, “Do you still believe that?”

 _Did_ he? James furrowed his eyebrows, biting the inside of his cheek. There was something wrong about Hydra that he couldn’t ignore, but it wasn’t that, was it? He looked down. “I think so,” he said honestly. That was all he had known, anyway. What other option was there?

Papers were shuffled on the table. There were miniscule movements behind James. He assumed they were probably gesturing with one another.

Then, the Captain spoke again. “James, are you aware that not all Peacekeepers have their past memories erased?”

James tensed, his hand curling around the arm rest. “What?”

“There are voluntary Peacekeepers, those willing to dedicate their lives to Hydra with no hesitation. They undergo the same training, but their minds don’t need to be wiped. They have been loyal to Hydra since they were born. On the other hand, there are people like you.”

_What?_

The Captain didn’t stop speaking. James’ breathing was becoming harsher. “There are people like you who are taken from their homes, whose memories are erased, and then told lies to make them more willing to serve Hydra.”

“How—how do you know—that’s not true. That’s not true.” James’ breaths were sporadic, he could feel himself heaving. His hand was shaking as he leaned forward. “That’s not true.”

“I’m not expecting you to believe me so easily, but I am not lying to you. We have evidence and intel. We know what we’re talking about.

James looked around, as if begging for answers from the others in the room; begging for someone to end the confusion. “Why are you telling me this?” he asked, voice rough. “Why?”

“You deserve to know.”

He grit his teeth. “That’s not the only reason why.”

Silence again, but this time his labored breathing was taking over the room. An arm reached over to grab his shoulder, giving him a small, gentle squeeze. Comforting, somehow.

“We want to help you, James, and we believe you can help us too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on [tumblr](http://wintersabbath.tumblr.com/) . Feel free to DM me about anything Marvel or Rock N' Roll.
> 
> Comments and Kudos are very much appreciated!!!


End file.
